November 16th Guest Wine Tasting. Please join us at the shop this Friday, November 16th to welcome Peter Merriam, owner of Merriam Vineyards, who will showcase his exquisite reds and discuss his passion for wine and connection to New England. Please plan to join us this Friday to get special wines for your Thanksgiving table. *Special discounts will be offered on Merriam wines that evening.

December 17th Wine Tasting. On Monday, December 17th, The Savory Grape and Main Street Coffee will hold a Global Cabernet Comparison tasting, exploring different Cabernets from around the world. There, we also will provide suggested food recommendations. Tickets ($25) can be purchased at The Savory Grape (886-9463) or Main Street Coffee (885-8787). Held at Main Street Coffee at 7 PM, seating is limited to 20 people, so please purchase your tickets early. The Thanksgiving tasting for Monday, November 19th is already sold out.

When most people think of Thanksgiving, many things come to mind. Things like family, food, friends, food, football, food, falling leaves and food. This holiday is unique in its food focus, featuring not only copious amounts of it, but a breathtaking-and not always in a good way-variety of it. Finding a perfect wine for the Thanksgiving table can challenge the most accomplished wine aficionado. After all, it is no snap to find a wine that works with bacon braised Brussel sprouts as well as with sage infused stuffing. But this minor glitch should not deter you from enjoying wine with the meal. Maybe the best approach is to consider wines you just plain like no matter what and wines that are good "food wines" in general. In any event, sharing wine at the table will brighten your Thanksgiving holiday season. Here are a few wines that are off-the-beaten path but have the right balance and smoothness to integrate into just about any meal, including some that can make the holidays memorable. And remember, our staff is always ready to make recommendations based on your meal and your tastes.

White wines

• Villa Rossa Gavi di Gavi 2006, Piedmont, Italy ($13.99). Very smooth and elegant fruit flavors are here in this medium bodied, well structured wine. Balance is the key to this wine as it relates to food pairing, not sweet, yet not overly acidic or dry. Also it is well suited for sipping while waiting for that turkey thermometer to pop up!

• Hugel "Les Amours" Pinot Blanc 2005, Alsace, France ($16.99). This Pinot Blanc is a light and refreshing white with crisp acidity that will stand up to rich foods without overpowering lighter fare. The Hugel family has been making wines in the Alsace region since 1639 and is noted for producing excellent wines for the dinner table!

• Alex Gambal Mersault Clos Cromin 2004, Burgundy, France ($60.99). A wine of character with a full body and a long finish. Rich ripe fruit flavors unfold on the palate with a background of cream and smoked oak. The grapes are hand-picked from 65 year-old vines, and only 150 cases of this wine were produced to make your holiday special.

Red wines

• Bouchard Aine Pinot Noir, Burgundy, France ($14.99). Light fruit flavors of cherry and blackberry are in this typical French style Pinot Noir with mineral notes and earthy undertones. Great balance and structure that works with just about any kind of food!

• Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel 2005, Sonoma County, CA ($22.99). This is a rich wine that boasts of cooked fall fruits making it right for the season. Flavors of plum and blackberry that won't overwhelm foods since the tannins are subtle in this very smooth selection.

• Argiano Brunello di Montalcino 2001 ($73.99). One of the world's great wines, Brunello, is at its best when enjoyed with food. This Brunello has perfectly balanced fruit, acid, tannins and alcohol with a silky finish. Early indications are that we won't see a Brunello vintage like the highly rated 2001 for a few years, so this is the year to dive in.

To enjoy after dinner

• Bodegas Dios Baco Sherry Oloroso, Jerez, Spain ($19.99). This is a classic after dinner sipping wine to enjoy with dessert or simply to keep the autumn chill at bay. It is sweet, but not overly so, and has flavors of caramel, nuts and spice to enhance a number of pies and cakes.

• Cantine Aurora Moscato($12.99). Moscato is always a treat at the end of any meal, and particularly this one. Chuck full of apricot, peach and vanilla flavors it will provide a clean refreshing taste on the palate. Perfect for dessert!

2004 Merriam Vineyards Cabernet Franc. From Jones Vineyard in the center of Dry Creek Valley's bench land, the harvest for this vintage was farmed by a third generation grower. The vines are some of Sonoma county's oldest and produce a dark ruby red wine. With scents of plums and violets, raspberry, and cherry on the nose it tastes of blueberries, vanilla, sweetwood and a little coconut. Composed of 95% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot, this less than 200 case production is a very special wine to drink with good friends. Enjoy at this year's Thanksgiving. ($49.99)

2002 Merriam Vineyards Merlot. This Windacre Merlot is the exact Merlot used as the 5% complement to the Merriam Vineyards Cabernet Franc. Windacre vineyard is a single vineyard on the edge of the Russian River Valley with similar conditions to the Pomerol region in France that produces the most famous Merlots. The result is a violet, black cherry, cedar and rich chocolate nose accompanied by flavors of cherry, plum and spice. ($31.99)

2003 Merriam Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. Farmed from a carefully grown block of Cabernet Sauvignon in the Dry Creek Valley, dubbed "Block 21," this Cabernet contains 5% of the Windacre Merlot. The result is a dark ruby wine that smells of eucalyptus, strawberry, and cedar. It is full bodied and contains flavors of red berries, black cherries, and bittersweet chocolate. While it can be aged for about 10 years, it is absolutely drinkable today. ($39.99)

Friday, November 16th (5 to 8 PM) Special Guest Peter Merriam

• 2004 Merriam Cabernet Franc. Please see tasting notes above in this week's Savory Selections. ($49.99)

• 2002 Merriam Windacre Merlot. Please see tasting notes above in this week's Savory Selections. ($31.99)

• 2004 Merriam Cabernet Sauvignon. Please see tasting notes above in this week's Savory Selections. ($39.99)

Saturday, November 17th (3 to 7 PM) More Selections for the Thanksgiving Table

• 2007 Yalumba Riesling, Australia. This dry Riesling is one of the perfect selections for pairing with Thanksgiving dinner. This wine is a blend of fruit from Barossa and Eden Valleys. Adjacent to each other, these two regions make up the Barossa. The warmer Barossa Valley produces wines that have rich flavors, while the cooler Eden Valley provides elegant and lifted aromatics. The Barossa region is renowned for its quality Riesling. The wine's palate is clean and refreshing showing grapefruit and lemon peel flavors with an appealing generosity. A soft acidity completes the lingering finish. ($10.99)

• 2006 McManis Family Pinot Noir, California. McManis Family Vineyards is a grower and vintner located near the cool confluence of the San Joaquin and Stanislaus Rivers, just south of Lodi, now known as the River Junction appellation. This 2006 Pinot Noir displays a lovely layer of hazelnut, which would go oh so well with sweet potatoes and stuffing. Rich fruit flavors of ripe cherries and plums and hints of milk chocolate linger in the elegant finish. ($11.99)

email: jessica@thesavorygrape.com

phone: 401.886.9463

web: http://www.thesavorygrape.com